Photograph-printing apparatus.



E. I. SCHRODER. PHOTOGRAPH PRINTING APPARATUS.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

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@dl/@W 51.8011110053. PHOTOGRAPH PRINTING `APPARATUS.

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Patented Apr. L 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. n

EDWARD J'. SCHRODER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PHOTOGRAPH-PRINTING APIARATUS.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application filed April 16, 1915. Serial No. 21,768.

plished by providingr an improved vtime switch mechanism by which the electric current `fiowing through the lamp used for printing is controlled. said switch mechanism having means which is manually operable to var v the time that the switch proper will remain closed.

A further object is to produce an improved tilning apparatus by which the interval during which energy is supplied to an electric circuit may controlled by the user.

Further objects and advantages relating to constructional tentures will be understood from the following detailed description.

A1n the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a side elevation of a photographic printing apparatus embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken in the plane ot line 22 ot' Fig. 1 and showing the tinu` switch mechanism. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts in another position. Fig. 4 is a fragmental plan view showing the manually1 operable indicator dial. Fig. 5 is a fragmental vertical sectional view illustratingr the retarding means. Figs. (i and 7 are fragmentary views of the har which operates the switch proper.

For the purpose of imparting a full knowledge ot' my invention and without intending to limit the same to details not necessitated by the scopel ot' the appended claims and the prior art. l will now proceed to the specific description of the preferred emliiodiment ot the invention.

The apparatus comprises a box-like casing 10 having a partition 11 dividing the casing into two compartments. The larger one of these compartments contains the electric lamp or lamps 9 by which the printing is done, and this latter compartment has a be varied and accurately pane of glass 12 at its upper end upon which the print is laid, the print being pressed against the glass by a hinged cover 13 which is secured in place by fastening means 14 of any suitable construction.

The smaller compartment contains the switch mechanism by which the electric cur- I rent to the lamps is controlled and timed. If desired, the side wall of the casing adjacent to this smaller compartment may be hinged as at 15 to ati'ord access to the switch mechanism when necessary.

1G indicates two lamp sockets which are seated in apertures in the partition 11 with the socket ends toward the large compartment to receive the lamps. These sockets 'are suitably connected by wires 17 to a terminal device 18 which is adapted to be .c011- nected to an ordinary light socket of a building. The wires 17 are connected to a switch comprising two terminals 19 and a pivoted blade 20. in such a manner that opening and closing of the switch blade will control the current to the lamps.

The bladef20 is operated by a bar 21 pivoted at its upper end to the blade and normally bearing at its lower end upon a yielding abutment 22, being normally held in this position by a coiled tension spring 23.

An operating leverv 24 is pivoted at one end at 25 and near its other end passes through a slot 2G in the casing, being provided with a handle 27 upon its'extreme outer end. A relatively strong tension spring 28 tends to raise the operating `lever 24.

The bar 21 is preferably made of insulating material and has fixed thereto a metallic plate 29 (Figs. 6 and 7) which is set into the face of the bar Hush therewith. On the operating lever 24: is a shoulder in the form of a plate 30 Fixed thereto and the spring 23 tends to swing the bar 21 to maintain the plate 29 thereon inengagement with the plate 30. The plate 29 has a notch 31 in its edge adjacent to the shoulder-plate 30. When the operating lever 2i vis pressed down, the spring 23 will move this notch over the upper edge of the plate 30, so that when the operating lever rises the bar 21 will be carried upwardly to close the switch 20. ear the upper limit ot' movement of the bar 21 the notch 31 slips ofil the plate 30 and the sprinor 23 then acts to draw the4 bar 21 downwardly against the yielding los stop 22. This downward movement of the bar is very rapid so that the switch is opened quickly to avoid arcing'.

The upward movement of the operating lever 24 is .ietardled by the following described daslpot means: A plate 82 is fixed vto the top wrall of the casing. The said top Wall has an opening 38 (Fig. 5) therethrough and the plate 32 has a registering opening '34. ln thel latter opening in the plate is fixed a head 35 to which is secured the upper end of a depending cylinder 36, the lower end of said cylinder being open. A piston 37 is arranged to slide in the cylinder and is connected by a pitman 38 with the operating lever 24. The piston is so constructed. that air may pass the piston on the downstroke, but not on the upstroke. This is done in the present instance by making' the body of the piston of smaller diameter than the cylinder and providing a washer 39 of leather or similar yielding material, the edge portion of which is turned upwardly and slides in contact with the cylinder wall. On the upstroke the piston will trap air in the cylinder.

The head 35 has a relatively large central bore 40 `therein which is connected by a smaller port 4l with the interior of the cyl-l inder 36 and by a port 42 with the periphery of the headv outside of the cylinder. ln the u-pper end of the bore 40 is threaded a valve member 43 having a conical lower end `to coperate with the upper end of the port 4l. On the upper end of the valve member is fixed a gear wheel 44, and a coiled com pression spring 45 is interposed between the gear and the cylinder head 35. This spring tends to draw the `valve member 43 up wardly so that it' there is any looseness or play between the threads of the valve member and the bore 40 the valve member will be held in a definite position. The spring v45 also provides friction to prevent too tree movement of the parts.

A. long pinion 46 meshes with the gear 44 and has a knurled thumb piece or head 47 fixed thereto above the top wall of the casing. Un the lower end ot' the pinion is a rigid stem 48 which is rotatable in the plate 32. A coiled spring 49 surrounding the stem 48 bears against a collar 5() thereon and provides friction to prevent too free movement, s o that the adjustment of the parts shall not be changed by slight jars or vibration.

A plate 51 is fixed on theupper tace oft the i top wall and closes the opening therein,

and ,above this plate is an indicator disk lfixed to'the thumbpiece 47 and pinion 46,

said disk having suitable graduation marks 53 thereon to coperate with a zero mark 54 on the platel. The spring 48 holds the disk in contact with the plate. The pinion 46'is much smaller than the gear 44 so that A42, 40 and 4l.

the dial 52 will be given a relatively great movement in effecting a small movement ot the valve member 43. ln the rotation of the valve member the gear -l-l moves up or down ,with relation'to the pinion 46., the latter being made long enough to acconnnodate this moven'lent.

Yhen the user has put in place beneath the cover 13 a sheet to be printed and is ready to expose the same, he depresses the lever 24 to its fullest extent and then releases it quickly. In the downstroke ol! the piston air enters the cylinderl around the piston and also some through the lmssagesl then the lever is released. the spring 28 acts to draw the lever upwardly, but this movement is retarded by the coniprcssed air trapped in the cylinder above the piston 37, which air must escape through `the passages 4l, 40 and ly turning the thumb piece 47 and the indicator disk 52, the position oi" the valve member 43 may bc changed to vary the eti'ectivc size of the port fl-l and thereby control the speed at which the air will escape from thc cylinder and the consequent rate ot upward movement of the operating lever. The switch blade 20 is raised at the beginning of the upward movement of the operating lever to close the switch and is released at a point `near the end ot n'iovcinent ot' the operating lever. By controlling the. rate of travel of the lever therefore7 the time during which the electric lamp will remain lightedvv may be accurately controlled and may be varied to suit requirements.

It will be noted that the switch is not closed until the operating lever has` been released. rflierefore. the accuracy of the device will not be impaired by holding down the operating lever too long, it being necessary only to permit the frce,up'.vard movement .p r oA the lei er. lfhc gageanaiks cn the indlcator disk may be arranged in any suitable manner to indicate seconds-or fractions of seconds. -The disk thus gives` the operator an accurate control over the length of time his prints will be exposer I claim as my invention: A

l. rlheI combination of a switch, a pivoted operating lever, a bar connected to said switch for operating the latter, a spring arranged to move said bar in the direction tol open the switch, said operating lever being arranged to move said bar in the direction to close the switch and adapted to later release the bar to the action of said spring, and means for retarding the switch-closing movement of said operating lever.

2. The combination et' a` switch. havingr a pivoted blade, a bar pivoted at one end to said blade, a spring tending to move said bar in the direction to open said blade, a pivoted operating lever arranged to move said har in the opposite direction to close the vof the operating member.

4. The combination of a. switch, an operating member arranged to be moved in one direction manually and tendin L to move in the opposite direction, means or retarding said opposite movement of said member, and means arranged to temporarily engage said member inthe latter movement to close said switch and arranged to later disengage from said operating member to open said switch.

5. The `combination of a switch, an operating member arranged to' be manuallyl moved in one direction, means for moving the member in the opposite direction, means for retarding the movement of the member in the latter direction, means for temporarily engaging the member in the latter movement for closing said switch, and means for opening said switch when the last mentioned means disengages from said member.

6. The combination of a switch, a pivoted operating lever arranged to be manually moved in one direction, a spring acting to move the lever in the opposite direction, dashpot means for retarding the latter movement of said lever, a member operatively 'connected to said switch for opening and closing the latter, said member being arranged to temporarily engage said operating lever i the retarded movement of the latter for closing the switch, and a spring acting on said 'member and arranged to open the switch when .saidmember disengages from the operating lever. v

7 The combination of a switch, a pivoted operating lever, means tending to move said lever in one direction, means for retarding this movement of the lever, a bar operatively connected to said switch for opening and closing the latter, said bar extending crosswise to said operating lever, said bar and lever having cooperating shoulders arranged. to temporarily engage for moving the bar to close the switch, and a spring ar- I ranged to open the switch when said shoulders slip out of engagement.

8.' The combination of a switch, a pivoted operating lever arranged to be moved in one direction, means for moving -said lever in the opposite direction, means for retarding,

movement of the lever in the last mentioned .directioma bar operatively connected to said switch for closing and opening the latter, said bar having a catch therein, said lever having a shoulder adapted to temporarily engage said catch for moving said bar to close said switch, and a` spring arranged to cause said shoulder to engage said catch and to later open said switch when said shoulder disengages from said catch near the end of said retarded movement of said lever.

9. The combination of a switch, means for operating the switch, and means for retarding the movement of the-'operating means comprising a cylinder having an air-vent passage, a screw-threaded valve member arranged to vary the effective size of said passage, a gear fixed to said valve member, a pinion meshing with said gear and having a thumb-piece rigid therewith, and an indicator disk fixed with relation to said pinion and thumb-piece.

10. The combination of a switch, means for operating the switch, and means for retarding the movement of said operating' means comprising a member, a cylinder supported by said member, an air passage in said cylinder, a screw-threaded needle valve controlling said air passage, a gear fixed to said valve member, a coiled compression spring surrounding the valve stem between said gear and said member, a pinion meshing with said gear, said gear moving longitudinally on said pinion, a thumb-piece-rigid with said pinion, an indicator disk fixed with relation to said pinion and thumbpiece, and a spring on the shaft oi' said pinion to prevent endwise movement of said last mentioned member.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand in the presence oi' two witnesses.

EDWARD J. SCHRODER. In the presence of- 'GEORGE L. CHXNDAHL, MARGARET H. lv/IANN.4 

